Competitive Advantage � PAGE * MERGEFORMAT �7�
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Competitive Advantage Paper
In this report we focus on the two main competitors in the package delivery industry: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) and United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (UPS).
Studying FedEx, UPS and their competitive relationship gives a good insight for the companies' and industry's future. The two companies have different strategic goals and are operating in the same industry but in different main markets: FedEx is working on "producing outstanding financial returns" and focuses on the profitability of overnight air market whereas UPS is looking for "earning reasonable profit" and its core business that is the ground delivery.
Sustainable competitive
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This enabled UPS to cut unnecessary operational costs, invest in new customer driven technologies, offer multiple global service modes and minimize the risks of being the first company to challenge such concepts.
Inhibiting Factors were a heavy union work environment that has always functioned as a barrier in front of progress and quality of service. Moreover, acting always as an industry follower has a negative impact on the company's image and could ultimately cause loss of market-share. UPS did start the profitable next day air service until 1982. (UPS). The company did not have a clear growth plan until after the death of the founder, James Casey in 1983.
Conclusion
According to Zingham, Ledford, and Schuster (1996), "Although many companies share business strategies they may be seeking unique advantage through better execution. This would mean that organizations select the competencies that best communicate their business strategies, and they count on implementation to achieve an advantage." (p.4). However, there seems to be a set of fundamental concepts that many organizations that achieved excellence in the fields are committed to following the guiding principles they set. Related to customer focus, results orientation, people development and community involvement, continual learning and innovation are some of the concepts
The key success to UPS was efficiency. Every route is time down to the traffic light. Each vehicle was engineered to exacting specifications. The drivers endured a daily routine calibrated down to the minute. This demand for machinelike precision met with resistance by UPS heavily unionized labor force.
United Parcel Service, a logistics company has established itself through its strong corporate culture, continuous ability to innovate, and its far-reaching global network. The company has maintained a competitive advantage over the years by implementing continuous growth strategies—the first was geographic expansion, next the early adaptation of electronic tracking technologies, and then came a series of acquisitions. Although UPS is financially strong and is able to maintain its role in the courier and delivery industry—it is vital that UPS continue to act strategically as to strive for long-term success. UPS is heavily dependent on the U.S. economy and it is important that it find greater and more profitable ventures
During the 1980s, the air express industry was a medium to attractive industry to already be a major player in, but not a very attractive industry to try and break into. The industry can be characterized by high rivalry from competitors who compete on the same services with very little differentiation, medium power from suppliers who supply the resources necessary to run the business, high buyer power because customers can basically find an equal service from any firm in the industry, low substitution threat from other means of shipping transportation, and low threat of new entrants due to the high initial capital outlay and need of management
The United Parcel Services share of the marketplace commands attention: -400,000 (+) employees -$51.5 billion earned 2008 -14% profit margin -90,000 vehicles and 268 jets -Operations in over 200 countries (Thomas, Linder, & Dutra, 2006). Organization has allowed UPS to operate in financial, retail, technology and nonprofit markets as well as logistics. Management Leads with the philosophy of talent cultivation through long-term employment relationships, developing committed, aligned and experienced partners. 54% of full-time drivers started as part-time. 68% of management was promoted from within. 78% of Vice-presidents once held non-management positions with UPS (Thomas et al., 2006). Controlling within UPS develops around the standard of constructive dissatisfaction, the belief that all process can be improved on and all parameters may be extended. Constructive dissatisfaction, a culture of ownership along with continual training and market awareness keep UPS a pioneer. External Factors Globalization has empowered UPS to update their strategy to synchronizing global commerce: of goods, information and funds (Thomas et al., 2006). Once a local delivery service, now UPS is recognized globally, embracing diversity with owners and customers in from every nation. Concerned with environmental impact of big business, UPS has cut carbon emissions, from airliners, 22% since 1990, and plans to cut
As the world’s largest package delivery company and a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics services, UPS, continues to develop the frontiers of logistics, supply chain management and e-commerce combing the flow of goods, information and funds. This past October UPS Logistics Solutions was voted #1 logistics provider by Logistics Solutions. When conducting an industry analysis, it is important to explain the competitive forces model (CFM) of UPS. The first component of competitive forces model are the customers. Their customers consist of business organizations, and the general public. The second CFM component is competition. UPS have a lot of competition in its field, but the most competitive company is FedEx. Since FedEx provides the same services as UPS; both are neck to neck in competition, but UPS has an established history, and because of that, they have more loyal customers, and they are worldly known. They have established them-selves as the elite, with their commercial on television. Showing how they can deliver from one place to another with same day delivery and
The main factors inhibiting both companies are each other, both companies have attained a market dominance that is hard to overcome by any of them. In FedEx case, their financials have been their weakest spot. FedEx poor financial performance has been a big problem for the company, proof of this is the downgrade FedEx bonds have had in past years. In UPS, I would say one of their inhibiting factors is their lack of innovation. UPS has not been able to innovate and work with the technological improvements. Part of this is due of being first in the market, UPS was founded in 1907, FedEx in 1971, FedEx has gained a reputation of the leader in innovation and modernization, UPS as the follower. Also, UPS workers union have represented a huge problem for them, workers union strikes have had a huge hit in the company finances.
In this report we focus on the two main competitors in the package delivery industry: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) and United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
By 1976, at a volume of 1,300 packages per day, FedEx’s Courier Pack service was only fulfilling one tenth of a percent of the “emergency rush” market, which totaled 870,000 packages delivered per day. By comparison, at 13,400 deliveries per day, the company’s Priority One “emergency rush” service accounted for one percent of the total market. Clearly both services have potential to gain more share of the rush delivery market, but the Courier Pack’s untapped potential is nearly limitless. Surely, the remaining 98 percent or so of customers using competing services for emergency rush delivery, including Emery Air Freight and USPS Express Service, are not familiar with Fed Ex’s less expensive, and more consistent Courier Pack service, and would switch brands with heightened awareness gained through careful marketing.
The US express mail industry is highly consolidated. 85% of the market is served by 3 service providers. There are six second tier players who serve the remaining 15%. FedEx and UPS lead the industry in services and innovation. The following trends have been observed in this Industry.
The threat of new entrants is very unlikely for UPS. This would be an intimidating market to attempt to infiltrate with UPS and its trailing competitors. Whereas the lack of new entrants is a key advantage, the threat of substitutes in place of other industries products is very high. As mentioned before, UPS has three major competitors that offer similar products at a similar price. This is an area that management has to constantly evaluate. UPS evaluates what they have to offer the customer verses their other delivery needs counterparts and the customers have a no bargaining power whatsoever. If the customer is unhappy with the service or the pricing, UPS acknowledges that DHL and the FedEx will be waiting with open arms to assist them and attempt to win their loyalty. The bargaining power of the suppliers is also very low due to cut throat competition. If low prices are what the customer wants and they can easily take their business elsewhere, UPS must try to maintain reasonable fees to keep the customers happy as well as be profitable. With examining four out of five forces, we can assume that the rivalry among current industry competitors is intense and management must be aware of what each competitor has up its sleeve at any given time. UPS has successfully managed to defray a lot of their costs by having such a successful website. Customers can do a number of things on the website from their home without having to call and
DHL 31%, USPS 8%, FedEx 27%, and Amazon 3%. From these numbers Amazon is a very small player in the shipping department. Every competitor, expect DHL, are currently shipping the excess freight that Amazon cannot maintain. With Amazon 's move to acquire more of the market, these competitors need to be on the lookout because portions of their market share can be taken away. These major shipping firms only provide shipping services not offering household products like Amazon. With Amazon starting by semi-supplementing their shipping avenues, Amazon has the potential to grow even larger. The market cap numbers are not a good basis to judge market share on since FedEx and UPS have the majority of the market in the shipping industry. FedEx and UPS are the major competitors against Amazon and its new shipping department. FedEx and UPS had the most recent annual net income of $50.3 billion and $58.3 billion respectively. They represent the majority of packages delivery from individuals, businesses, and online retailers.
United Parcel Service (UPS), is the world’s largest express package delivery firm that handled more than 4.7 billion packages and documents in 2015. This global transportation and logistics service provider operates in more than 220 countries, and offers an array of supply chain management solutions (UPS Fact Sheet, n.d.). The firm has diversified its products and/or services to include freight forwarding and logistics services via air, ground, rail, and sea. U.S. Domestic Package operations, International Package operations, and Supply Chain and Freight operations are the three operating segments UPS. Through technology advancements UPS delivers online package tracking, e-commerce services, and specialized
FedEx’s new product Courier Pak makes sense because of its’ high profit margin and potential to generate new volume. Out of the 3 services that Fed Ex provides, CP yields the highest profit margin at 66% while Priority-One is at 55% and SAS is only at 27%. In addition to this, the company believes that it will be able to boost up sale of CP from 1300 to 6000 packages per day. This shows that CP is the most profitable and huge potential for growth.
UPS has been in the package delivery business for 95 years, providing services to businesses and consumers worldwide in more than 200 countries. In 1994, UPS began to investigate the potential of e-commerce and started an internal group focused on enabling e-commerce. UPS redefined its core business and found ways to change its structure and processes, forming new businesses to take advantage of new opportunities. UPS was interested in finding ways to leverage their extensive infrastructure and expertise in basic transportation of goods, services, and
"Consensus building" and was focused on efficiency and execution, emphasis on customer service. It believed in continuous improvement of company. UPS has fostered strategic focus around operational excellence. It is renowned for its efficient delivery service.